Safety key clip



S. PAUER SAFETY KEY CLIP April 6, 1965 Filed May '7, 1963 9 l) G 0 2 Mv 2 no 2 1W a om v m f/ J I KL, n 0 .u f w 4.. u

INVENTOR SAN DOR PAUER E@ 507 ,4mm/5y United States Patent 3,176,360 SAFETY KEY CLIP Sandor Pauer, 4830 40th St., Long Island City, N.Y. Filed May 7, 1963, Ser. No. 278,586 3 Claims. (Cl. 214-73) loops. The hook has a wall spaced a distance from the loop equal to the cross-sectional width of the ring. Thus the ring can be removed from the hook only when oriented in one position with respect to the hook and loop. In another form of the invention the loopis provided with an integral tongue for engaging the belt to prevent sliding Vof the clip along the belt. The clip can be made from a single strip or blank of metal bent to required shape.

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a key chain holder in the for-m of a clip formed from a single strip or blank of metal into a loop for engaging a garment belt and into a hook for engaging and supporting a terminal ring of the key chain, the hook cooperating with the loop for retaining the ring on the holder.

A further object is to provide a key chain holder in the form of a clip formed from a single strip or blank of metal into two parallel loops for engaging a garment belt and a hook for engaging and supporting a terminal ring of the key chain, the ring having a course of rectangular cross section, and the hook having a tongue spaced from edges of the loops a distance equal to the cross-sectional width of the ring course.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view through the center of a key chain holder embodying one form of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional View of parts of the key chain holder and key chain ring.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of another key chain holder, key chain ring, and part of a chain link.

FIG. 4 is an oblique plan view of a blank used to form -the holder of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown the key chain holder 20 which is formed from a single rectangular strip of pliable metal. The strip is bent transversely at lines L1, L2, L3 to form a generally rectangular liat loop for receiving belt B. The loop has a straight back wall 24, flat parallel upper and lower walls 25, 26, respectively, and a slightly forwardly bowed front wall 28. A hook is formed integral With the loop by a short straight bottom wall 29 which extends at fold line L4 forwardly from the bottom of back wall 24. Back wall 24 is longer than wall 28 and extends below wall 26 so that wall 29 is spaced from wall 26. The hook terminates in a straight vertical front wall 30 which is parallel to back wall 24. The free end of wall 30 extends above upper wall 25 of the loop. Wall 30 is perpendicular to wall 29 at fold line L5.

A flat ring 32 engages on the hook constituted by walls 29, 30. This ring has an elongated slot 33 with an upper course 34 which is straight and substantially square or rectangular in cross section. The diagonal dimension D 3,l76,36@ Patented Apr. 6, 1965 ICC of the course 34 is longer than the maximum width of the cross-sectional area of course 34. The outer or front side of wall 2S is spaced from the back of wall 30 a distance W substantially equal to the maximum width of the cross section of course 34 as indicated in FIG. 2. The width of slot 33 is greater than the thickness of wall 30. By this arrangement, the ring 32 cannot accidentally slip, slide or fall o the hook. The ring can only be removed if it is turned to the position P shown in FIGS. l and 2 in which the plane of the ring is exactly perpendicular to the plane of wall 30. Then the ring must be moved perpendicular to its plane and parallel to wall 30 in the direction of the single arrow A of FIG. l and double arrow A of FIG. 2. Since the weight of chain 35, key ring 39 and the keys (not shown) hanging thereon will always tends to turn the plane of ring 32 at an angle to the plane of wall 30, the ring 32 will jam against the wall 30 and cannot be accidentally removed.

Chain 35 has its upper link or loop 35' engaged in an eye 36 extending outwardly of the ilat ring opposite from course 34. Thus the chain swings freely from the ring and the ring freely slides and moves along the bottom Wall 29 of the hook. It is thus possible to move the ring a short distance up wall 3i). Then the chain can be extended over the holder and back of both the belt and holder for concealing the keys on the end of the chain in a garment engaged with the belt. The ring 32 will not come oft of the holder because ring 32 will then be in the inclined dotted line position R, where the inner edge of course 34 engages 4the rear or inner side of wall 30 while the outer edge of course 34 engages on the front or curved side of wall 28.

FIG. 3 shows another key chain holder 2Gb which is similar to holder 20, except that a curved tongue 50 is struck out of wall 28 and extends inwardly toward the front side of back wall 24. This permits belts B of different thicknesses to be inserted in the loop defined by walls 24, 25, 26, 2S, and tongue 50 will engage the belt to prevent the holder from sliding along the belt. -Tongue 50 will flex slightly to accommodate belts of different thicknesses.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a blank rectangular metal strip 55 which may be used to form the holder 20h. Tongue 50 is shown struck out of the strip near one end prior to bending the strip on transverse lines Ll-LS to form the holder into the loop and hook shape of FIG. 3.

There have thus been provided in accordance with the invention various forms of key chain holders all of which require that the flat end ring 32 of the key chain be oriented in a particular position with respect to spaced walls of the holder, in order to remove the ring or to insert the ring. The holders can be formed from single rectangular strips of metal bent to required shape to define a hook and a belt receiving loop or loops.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A holder for a key chain, comprising a single blank piece of pliable metal bent to form a generally rectangular loop for receiving a supporting belt therethrough, said loop having front, back, upper and lower walls, and a hook, said hook having a bottom wall integral with and extending forwardly from said back wall below said lower wall, said hook having an upstanding forward wall integral with said bottom wall, said forward wall being spaced from said front wall of the loop; and a iiat chain Q' Y Y Y Y d Y Y v y l 4 ring having an elongated VVslot with a straight courseat one end of the ring defining one side of the slot, said course having a rectangular'cross section, the maximum width ing ofthe forward yWall kof the-'hook from the front 'wall voftheloopfso ,that `the ring is removablerfrom the hook only when the plane of the'ring is perpendicular to the plane of .the front wall, said ring being engaged on said hook with said`bottom wall` ,passing through-said slot,

- the Width ofsaid Vslot beingigreater than the'thicknes's of f larfloop for receiving a supporting belt therethrough, said loop having iront, back, upper and lower walls, and a hook, said'hook having a bottom wall integral with and of said .cross section being substantially equal tothe spacextending forwardly. from said back wall'below said lower wall, said hookV having -an upstanding forward Wall in# 3 tegral with said Abottom wall, said rforward wall being both the bottom and forward walls of the hook,v and a 4 tongue extending into -saidl loop from said `forward wall for engaging said belt to `prevent slidingof the holder along .the belt. Y' f p .Y Y

2. A holder fora key chain, comprising a single blank piece of pliable metal .bent to "form-a generally rectangular loop for receiving :a supporting beltftherethrough, said loop havingrfront, back, upper-and lower walls, and

V-a hook, said hook 'having abottom wall integral with and extending forwardly from sa-idiback Wall ,below said lower wall, said'hooklhavingan upstanding .forward-Wall, integral -with Said bottomwall, said forward'rwall being spacedfrom .said vfront Wall of ,-theloop; anda .atgchain Y ring havingan elongated slot with va straight course at:A one end ofthe fring-deningtone side of` .the slot, said coursehaving Aa rectangular cross section, ythe maximum width of -said .cross section Ybeing substantially equal toV the spacingof the forward wall'offthe hookffrom-thefront l wall of the loop, so that the'ring is removable from the hook only -When the plane of the ring is perpendicular f to the plane'of the front'walL said-ring being vengaged` on said hook withY said bottom wall passing through said slot,'the width of said slot being greater than the thickness f of boththe-bottom and forward walls of the'hook, saidv forward wall'of the loopbeing formedwith .a flexible tongueextending inwardly `lof the loop toward; the back -wall for-engaging said belt to .preventsliding of v,the vholder along the belt.

3. A holder for a key chain, comprising arsinrgle blank piece `of fpliable metal bent :to form a generally rectangu- Yspaced from said front Wall ofthe loop; and aflat chain vring having an elongatedk slot with va straight'course at one end of the ring defining one side of the slot, said `coursehaving a rectangular cross section, the maximum "width-of said cross section being rsubstantially equal to the spacing Vof the forward lwall of the hook from the front Wall of Vthe loop, so that ,the ring is removable from Vthe hook only when the `plane ofthe ring lis perpendicular tolthe plane of the front wall, said ring being yengaged V4on said hook with said bottom nwall passing throughY said slot, the Width ,ofsaid slot being greaterthan vthe thickness of boththe bottom and forward Walls of the hook, said'forwardfwall of the` loopbeing 'formed witha ilexible 'tongue extending :inwardlyvof the .loop r`towardthe back Awall for engaging said belt tojprevent, sliding of the 'holder along the belt,vsaid vfront wall ',beingroutwardly bowed toward .said forward wall of the hook .to vpermit the ring'tobe 'moved' a limited distance up Ythe lforward wall Vin apositioninelinedV to said Yforward wall.`

i VReferences YCited ,inV the'le ofsthis'patent Y Y- Y UNITED STATES PATENTS'V 101,811. f Great Britain gt -Oct. 26, 

1. A HOLDER FOR A KEY CHAIN, COMPRISING A SINGLE BLANK PIECE OF PLIABLE METAL BENT TO FORM A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR LOOP FOR RECEIVING A SUPPORTING BELT THERETHROUGH, SAID LOOP HAVING FRONT, BACK, UPPER AND LOWER WALLS, AND A HOOK, SAID HOOK HAVING WALL INTEGRAL WITH AND EXTENDING FORWARDLY FROM SAID BACK WALL BELOW SAID LOWER WALL, SAID HOOK HAVING AN UPSTANDING FORWARD WALL INTEGRAL WITH SAID BOTTOM WALL, SAID FORWARD WALL BEING SPACED FROM SAID FRONT OF THE LOOP; AND A FLAT CHAIN RING HAVING AN ELONGATED SLOT WITH A STRAIGHT COURSE AT ONE END OF THE RING DEFINING ONE SIDE OF THE SLOT, SAID COURSE HAVING A RECTANGULAR CROSS SECTION, THE MAXIMUM WIDTH OF SAID CROSS SECTION BEING SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE SPACING OF THE FORWARD WALL OF THE HOOK FROM THE FRONT WALL OF THE LOOP, SO THAT THE RING IS REMOVABLE FROM THE HOOK ONLY WHEN THE PLANE OF THE RING IS PERPENDICULAR TO THE 